This year, we’ve seen a handful of new EVs appear on our new car market, including first attempts from luxury marques Jaguar and Audi.
Even MG, previously renowned for their English sports cars and now under Chinese ownership, exhausted its 50 pre-order allocation slots in New Zealand for their new ZS SUV. Prices started from just $49,990 (+ORC), making it New Zealand’s cheapest new EV.
Recently, Ford announced their Mustang-branded Mach-E SUV at the LA Autoshow. With more manufacturers jumping on board, and new models launching every few months, we are now seeing more EVs emerging in the used car market, giving those interested in the technology more to variety choose from.
One of the most popular used EVs on the road is the Nissan Leaf, but here are some other examples of EVs we found on the used market:
BMW i3 (2017)
- Cost: $33,500
- Mileage: 35,500km
The BMW i3 REx won the our Car of the Year award in 2015 and even today, it looks more like a concept car thanks to its unique design and innovative modular carbon fibre reinforced plastic, which is bonded to a lightweight aluminium chassis. It also has futuristic door panels made from hemp which, mixed with plastic, help lower the weight of each panel by around 10%.
The standard i3 is no slouch - it produces 125kw and 250Nm of torque across the range. It also boasts a 0–100km time of just 7.4 seconds, and was capable of a range of 160km when new.
We found this model with relatively low kilometres, which would be a good choice if you were looking for a compact quirky city to get from A to B.
Tesla Model X 75D (2017)
- Cost: $106,000
- Mileage: 58,938km
The Model X was the first SUV vehicle offered by Tesla and instantly captured the attention of the public due its elaborate falcon doors that even today would probably draw a crowd when exiting the car at your local shops.
The Tesla model X75D was also the most powerful model we found, with193Kw 329Nm torque.
We found a used NZ-new Tesla 2017 Model X 75D which featured a host of upgrades including an updated paintjob, 22" Onyx Black wheels and seven seats. The original buyer had also opted for Tesla’s ground-breaking Autopilot software. All of these upgrades significantly increase the value of the vehicle, which is great for used car buyers.
Hyundai IONIQ (2017)
- Cost: $43,995
- Mileage: 22,052km
When the new IONIQ was released, it was the first EV from Hyundai. It was good value too, and maintained a conventional feel that you’d probably expect from a ‘regular’ Hyundai.
The entry model is packed with technology including EBD, Brake Assist, stability management, traction control and seven airbags. It also features smart cruise control, Lane Keep Assist and allows smartphone connectivity via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Performance is adequate for a daily driver with 88kW and 295Nm of torque from the direct drive electric motor.
Good examples are showing up on the used market, however, due to the IONIQ’s low price from new, they haven’t lost too much value.
Volkswagen e-Golf (2018)
- Cost: $51,900
- Mileage: 4,690Km
The e-Golf is still a relatively new kid on the block when it comes to EVs, and it boasts some impressive safety technology such as crash avoidance with autonomous braking, cross traffic monitoring and even driver attention detecting which identifies failing concentration of the driver and provides a five-second acoustic warning as well as an optical alert. These aids helped it achieve a five star ANCAP safety rating.
Like the IONIQ, the e-Golf is front-wheel drive and shares fairly similar power with an output of 100kW and 290Nm of torque.
The model we found had very few kilometres on the clock and would be worth a look if you are looking for a near-new European EV with an enticing suite of modern technology and assistive features.